Part of the Who Was series, this is a good biography of Sendak for those ready for something a little more substantial than the picture-book biographies, but still at a reasonably easy reading level—I’m categorizing it as both a chapter book and middle grade title. The book chronicles Sendak’s life from his childhood as the son of Jewish immigrants to his later fame as a children’s author, through his death in 2012. We learn about both his well-known titles and lesser known works and the many things that inspired them.
We also read that aside from books, the “love of his life” was Eugene Glynn, and the couple stayed together for 50 years, sharing many interests. Later, we see how he cared for Eugene while Eugene was dying of cancer, and how this was a “painful time” for him.
Additionally, the book says, Sendak never told his parents he was gay because “He thought it would make them unhappy,” and he also kept this from the public because “He knew some people wouldn’t like knowing that a popular children’s illustrator was gay, and it might damage his career.” This is not discussed further, so parents and other adults may want to be prepared to discuss why being gay might have made some people unhappy and damaged careers.
The book also notes the uproar over the one (non-salacious) picture of a nude boy in his In the Night Kitchen, and includes a sidebar on censorship. And in discussing his book Brundibar, whose villain is an analogy for Adolf Hitler, it includes a sidebar about the Holocaust.
A solid biography that offers insight into the life and works of this beloved author.
